The Balrog Slayer Rides Again
by Lindele
Summary: Glorfindel finds himself in a deadly adventure trying to track the Hobbits. Complete!
1. Chapter 1: Unexpected Encounters

**A/N: I'm suffering the aftermath of a cold, so if anything seems garbled just point it out and I'll try and fix it. **

**Another note is that I have read the books twice, and seen the movies countless times, so I'll tell you ahead of time if it's book verse of movie verse (if it matters). This one is book verse, so if you haven't read FotR, it might be a little confusing. The book clearly states that Glorfindel had been traveling for nine days from Rivendell, so I thought it might make a good story.**

**Random babble: Does anybody else think Glorfindel is sitting next to Gandalf at the council? There weren't really any other elves that looked like him. **

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing. I am just writing for the pure joy of it all, and hopefully the enjoyment of everyone who reads this.**

**Summary: Glorfindel goes off to save the hobbits, and encounters a few problems.**

**Rating: PG (just to be safe)**

**Spoilers: Maybe a few for FotR.**

**And now, on with the story!**

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again **

**Chapter 1**

A lone figure silently cursed the foul weather. He had been traveling for a few days already, and had not been able to track down the Dunadan, and the weather was not helping. He urged his horse faster, and continued his wearying journey. He had been riding hard ever since he left Rivendell, which was now two days ago. The storm was blocking the sun and he knew there could be orcs about. He was an excellent warrior, but since he was alone there was little he could do but seek shelter from both the elements and the dangerous predators. He rode on, carefully searching for somewhere safe to stay for the night.

The rain was starting to grate on his nerves. It was not the cold that bothered him, as he was Elven-kind, but getting drenched certainly did irritate him.

He finally found a small cave, and after some scouting, found that it was perfectly safe.

Well, he didn't quite notice a few spiders. But that was quickly taken care of. Behold! The spiders have seen their doom and now see the unveiled power of the Vanyar Elf lord. Also his impeccable aim with a boot.

Glorfindel had very well chosen to take out his fury on the spiders, and after deciding not to pull them apart limb from limb, squashed them. He took much joy in attacking something, and after squashing them was in a greatly improved mood. Mainly because there were three and they happened to look like a very familiar elf lord and his sons, who sent him out on this seemingly useless errand and trying to track down the aforementioned elf lord's foster son. He was impossible to track because of the training of the aforementioned elf lord's sons (also his own but he refused to admit that. He also refused to admit that a very important halfling was accompanying the Dunadan).

Yes, but now Glorfindel was in a very happy place, trying to imagine Elrond under his boot just like the spider. It was in that state of mind that the elf slowly drifted off to the Elven realm of sleep. He drifted in and out for a few hours before his Elven ears detected the soft _clip-clop_ of a horse. He knew orcs didn't ride horses, but he was also well aware of the fact that the Nine were abroad, mounted upon cursed horses. So he found himself quietly sneaking into a position where he could see the horse and it's rider.

He grinned devilishly when the rider passed him, the rider not noticing the silent watcher, so deep was he in his thoughts. He appeared to be brooding, by Glorfindel's standards. Glorfindel decided the young elf was in need of cheering up, so he quietly climbed the tree which the decidedly brooding elf would be passing under in a few moments.

At the opportune moment, Glorfindel jumped from the tree and shouted, "YRCH!"

Legolas nearly fell off his horse in surprise.

Once the young Elven prince had recovered and gained his composure once more as regal Prince of Eryn Lasgalen, he asked, none to politely, "What possessed you to do that? You scared me halfway to Mandos!"

"I think you deserved it."

"Why would a noble elf such as yourself say that?"

"I don't suppose you remember last year?" Glorfindel asked with a gleam of malice in his eyes.

"That was the twins fault!"

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Legolas dropped the conversation. "What brings you here?"

Glorfindel, decidedly happy for the moment since he had won the conversation, answered, "A very paranoid elf lord and the dilemma of his foster son."

"Is Estel alright?" Legolas asked, truly concerned for the Ranger.

Glorfindel rolled his eyes. "You forget who raised him."

Legolas smirked. "Even I know that child attract trouble like honey attracts bees."

Glorfindel chuckled, Legolas was right.

"You avoid my question. What happened?"

"Well, that tale is not for me to tell, not here, and not now. If you can get it out of Elrond it is a most intriguing set of events that bring me here."

"Ah. And how exactly to you want me to go about doing that?"

"He probably told the twins. After all, Estel is their brother."

At this Legolas smiled. "Those two are becoming a vast source of information."

Glorfindel looked slightly perturbed. "But you can never trust them." He murmured. "Ever."

Legolas' sensitive ears picked up this last statement and the prince grinned.

"What brings you from Mirkwood?" Glorfindel inquired.

The prince resumed his brooding expression from earlier. "I have a message to deliver. Evil tidings in these dark days."

Glorfindel looked saddened.

He felt a deep sense of foreboding. His ears detected the very faint sound of hooves. He looked over at Legolas and they both managed to disappear into the foliage without making so much as a sound.

"Who do you think it is?" Legolas asked in a whisper.

Glorfindel's mouth was set in a grim line. "The Nine are abroad."

Legolas understood what Glorfindel was implying. They both silently waited for the impending doom to approach.

**A/N: dun dun dun!!!! Please review!!! I think I'll update after a few good reviews. And I'll give the flames to Glorfindel and Leggy to throw at the Nazgul. Muaha. So don't bother flaming.**

**When I showed this to my sis, I left for a moment, and when I came back, this is what it said:**

**Blooper (copyright by my sis):**

**He grinned devilishly when the rider passed him, the rider not noticing the silent watcher, so deep was he in his thoughts. He appeared to be brooding, by Glorfindel's standards. "GREAT BREATHING**

**DROWNING MONKEY BOTTOMS!!!!" Shouted the dignified prince. Glorfindel fainted dead away.**

**Once more, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Deadly Dance

**A/N: Here we are again! Please bare with my slow writing...I just couldn't figure out what to do. Please forgive me for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I don't have a beta.**

**Also, this is my very first try at action or sword fighting, so please don't mind any mistakes. So sorry for how short this chapter is. Hopefully the next one will be longer.**

**Also, just wanted to note, all conversations between Glorfy and Leggy are in Elvish.**

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing. I am just writing for the pure joy of it all, and hopefully the enjoyment of everyone who reads this.**

**Summary: Glorfindel goes off to save the hobbits, and encounters a few problems.**

**Rating: PG (just to be safe)**

**Spoilers: Maybe a few for FotR.**

**Change of POV**

**Responses to reviews:**

**gives everybody a cookie who reviewed**

**Starlit jewel: In all honesty, I have very little idea. I might understand it a little bit because I've lived with my sister my whole life, so, basically what my sister was writing was complete randomness. Little nonsensical sentences she somehow comes up with.**

**Seeing-spots: Thanks! I hope I didn't take too long to update! **

**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 2**

Glorfindel and Legolas quickly scrambled behind a thick and overgrown cluster of shrubs. 

As the Rider drew near, the very earth seemed to tense. The air seemed to thin. The two elves sat erect, seemingly breathing in fear. The forest was unnaturally silent. The two elves did not dare say a word, for an evil only second to Sauron himself was drawing near.

The hoof-beats were getting louder, the silence deafening.

Legolas looked to Glorfindel for help. If the Wraith found them, they would certainly be unable to defeat it. From the looks of things, this might very well be the case. But he knew that no matter what, they wouldn't go down without a fight.

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The Rider slowed to where they were, sensing something unnatural for mere animals: Defiance. Very rarely was the Wraith opposed, and certainly never by the forest animals that dwelt in this area. No, he could almost smell the elves, silently searching for shelter against the Wraith. Defiantly waiting for him to provoke them.

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When Glorfindel heard the horse stop, he tensed. He knew the Rider could sense them. It was a dangerous game from here out. He mentally sighed, realizing he had of yet to find the halflings and Estel. But, at the moment, there were more pressing matters. He also realized the Wraith had as good as found them, he just had of yet to attack them.

Startling Legolas out of his muse, Glorfindel stood up and earned a very worried and annoyed glare from Legolas. He ignored it and proceeded heading towards the camp he had sought shelter in the night before. He hurriedly started the fire back up, and made sure Legolas was following him. He noticed Legolas looked more than a little nervous and tense.

"Don't you trust me Leg'ls?" He asked quietly and innocently, earning a half-hearted smile from Legolas at using the twin's old nickname for him.

The moment of mirth was gone when they heard the heavy _thud_ of metal-clad feet.

He picked up a piece of burning firewood and silently unsheathed his sword. Legolas did the same. Glorfindel had known from the start that there was a very little chance of them escaping, but at the same time he questioned is own logic.

What was he thinking?

Glorfindel had many questions running through his mind, but they quickly disappeared when he saw the Wraith, cloaked in black and holding a menacing sword.

Glorfindel felt Legolas beside him go tense with fear. He felt the fear emanating off of the Wraith as well, but he had faced Wraiths before, and they had not intimidated him then, and now he had a few more millennia of experience on him. He started feeling rather giddy... Since when had Wraiths had that effect...?

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Legolas, though his elvish pride would not let him admit it, was afraid.

He was also rather irritated at the arrogant elf-lord beside him, for he knew that the Vanyar's stubborn pride would not let them back down.

Legolas gripped his elven blades tightly, and forced away his irritation and fear.

He heard Glorfindel murmur part of an absurd song that the twins had made up long ago (they had changed the last line under recent events to entertain the Hobbits).

"Here approaches the nasty thing,

We shall sing and make the thing

Tremble with fear and leave the Ring."

If Legolas had questioned Glorfindel's sanity before, he was sure he had lost it now. He raised a questioning eyebrow as the Wraith raised it's sword.

He was slightly awed as he watched Glorfindel and the Wraith entwined in their deadly dance. He knew he should help Glorfindel, but he could not get himself to move.

Finally he pulled himself out of his shock as the Wraith took advantage of Glorfindel's momentary weakness and slashed at Legolas.

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The Wraith was an extremely adept with his sword, and Glorfindel was hard-pressed to keep up. They fought for what felt like hours until the Wraith knocked his sword out of his hands. Glorfindel was expecting the Wraith to slash down at any moment now. Glorfindel attempted to regain his sword, and did with all the speed he was famed for. But, as he looked up, a horrible sight met his eyes.

**TBC...**

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN DUN!!! Ok! Don't kill me...**

**If my action writing is as awful as it seems to me,** **perhaps, for the many of you who have seen TPM, you could imagine the fight scene between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. That's what I was partially imagining...**

**Please review! Constructive criticisms welcome!**

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	3. Chapter 3: Double Trouble

**A/N: Here I am again! Hope I didn't take too long to update! I just wanted to note, in case I haven't already mentioned all conversations between Glorfindel and Legolas are in Elvish. Sorry about how short this chapter is.**

**Change of POV**

**Thoughts are in italics.**

**Replies to reviews:**

**Elven Script: Thanks your kind reviews! They help me get through my chapters!**

**starlit jewel: Yes, I'm happily still alive! But I'm afraid Glorfindel might get hurt in later chapters...Glorfindel mutters under his breath Ah, yes...My geography is a bit off, terribly sorry...Let's just assume Legolas was taking the scenic route around Rivendell... When I said in the first chapter, "He Legolas appeared to be brooding," I was meaning his sad news of Gollum's escape, and the death or capture of his fellow comrades. It's somewhere in The Council of Elrond... Anyway I'll try to make the rest of my stories more geographically correct.**

**Grumpy: Yes, we all must worry about Glorfindel's sanity from time to time;) Glorfindel threateningly glares and unsheathes knives Oh dear. backs away slowly No need for excessive use of violence!**

**Seeing-spots: Glorfindel rocks! Oh yeah. I'm leaving this mostly up to your imagination though.**

**Now on with the story!**

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

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**Chapter 3**

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Legolas unfroze and moved as quickly as he could to get out of the way of the Nazgul's offending blow. But even his Elvish reflexes were not fast enough to save him.

First, he felt shocked as the metal dug through the skin on his forearm. Second he felt pain. Overwhelming pain that hit him in an excruciating wave.

He tried to move, but the Nazgul's poison had quickly limited his amount of movement.

The black breath of the Wraith hit him. He barely registered the shock on Glorfindel's face before blacking out.

Glorfindel felt sick as he watched Legolas crumple under the effects of the black breath. He quickly regained the offensive and struck back with vengeance.

Glorfindel knew he needed to end this fight quickly. For what felt like ages, Glorfindel worked to maneuver the Wraith close to the fire.

He grabbed a flaming log quicker than the eye could follow and thrust it into the Wraith. It's screech left Glorfindel stunned and deafened for a few moments as he watched the retreating back of the Nazgul.

Glorfindel, still feeling rather dazed, hurried over to the young prince's side. Surprisingly, there was very little blood seeping out of the deep gash in Legolas' arm.

"Have you ever managed the journey to Rivendell without hurting yourself?" Glorfindel murmured rather incredulously.

Of course, there had been that one time, a few thousand years ago, when he had managed it through the gate unharmed. But, of course, Elladan had been practicing archery (without permission) for one of the first times. Legolas had been immediately rushed to the Houses of Healing. Not the best first impression you could get of Imaldris and the twins, but for some reason, Legolas and Elladan had always been very good friends. It always left Glorfindel amazed how young ones so readily forgave. And then, all the other times when he came out unharmed and it was someone else who was suffering from a wound.

As if his thoughts had summoned him, Elladan and Elrohir appeared, startling Glorfindel out of his memories.

"Are you just going to sit there, Fin?" Elladan asked tauntingly, though with great concern written across his fair features.

"Why is he unconscious...?" Elrohir asked, searching for a more evident wound.

"Morgul blade. Black breath." Glorfindel cursed in Dwarvish, Elvish and even in some orcish he had picked up in his vast travels.

Elladan raised an eyebrow. In any other situation, Glorfindel losing his calm might have been humorous. But, in the light of the current situation, he knew it was a serious matter.

"We'll take him to Rivendell. You go look for our Hobbit friends and Estel. They'll need help." Elrohir offered.

Elladan did not look too pleased, as he had just been able to coax permission to leave out of their father, but agreed anyway because he knew that the poison would take action very quickly.

"Alright." Glorfindel answered, already mounting his horse. He sped off without a word.

"What will father say now?" Elrohir murmured.

Elladan grinned, but was actually asking himself the same question.

Glorfindel rode on quickly for an hour, trying to regain some of the time he had lost. When he sensed his horse tiring, he slowed down to a moderate pace, searching for clues as to where Aragorn could be. Unfortunately, Glorfindel himself had trained the young ranger, and he knew how to hide all too well.

He searched long and fruitlessly for three hours, until he felt danger approaching. Glorfindel stopped Asfaloth and dismounted quickly.

He then felt the earth quiver, as if some great force was shaking the ground.

Glorfindel climbed a tree as quickly and silently as the elves were famed for. What he saw did not ease his mind.

"I have no time for this." Glorfindel muttered and cursed as he saw the troll approaching.

He readied his bow and prepared for the battle. Trolls were dim-witted creatures, but they had brute strength and force to oppose him.

He loosed an arrow and let it fly.

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**A/N: Trolls! I had to put them in there. They're so adorable. Lol!**

**The next chapter may take a week or so before I post because I have lots to do, but if I get nice reviews it might take less time! : D**


	4. Chapter 4: Falling

**A/N: I got this chappie up as quickly as I could. It's probably my record fast time for updating...Lol! It was very difficult to write...**

**Disclaimer: You think it belongs to me? If it did, Glorfindel would not be battling a Troll right now.**

**Replies to reviews:**

**Gives everybody ice-cream who reviewed**

**Seeing-spots: Ah, well, we haven't taken in the exhaustion factor. If our dear Glorfy is exhausted, he won't be able to battle the Nazgul very well. Thanks for reviewing! : D**

**Ellfine: Yesss, preciousss. Many good misadventuresss to come...Glorfindel twitches**

**Elven Script: Thank you! See all those nice reviews and I updated quickly! Of course, it's just to take out my frustration on someone else, but...Glorfindel's fingers twitch on sword hilt**

**Starlit jewel: Er, yes.... Well, an evil foe has to have more than one weapon, right? I mean, witless orcs have like three weapons...Lol!**

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again **

**Chapter 4**

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He readied his bow and prepared for the battle. Trolls were dim-witted creatures, but they had brute strength and force to oppose him.

He loosed an arrow and let it fly.

The troll roared and looked for the source of irritation. When he spotted Glorfindel flitting from tree to tree, he gave chase and tried to smash Glorfindel, but Glorfindel was too quick.

As he scaled the trees, Glorfindel devised a battle plan (or the closest to it). He would distract the troll by firing arrows around the troll to disorient him, and then he would shoot the troll in the sensitive spot behind the troll's ear.

It would have worked, but there just happened to be _two _trolls in the dell. Glorfindel sighed; nothing ever went his way. Especially when he had _important _things to do.

In an impatient gesture, he growled and leapt ferociously from the trees. Surprisingly, the trolls appeared extremely startled, which gave Glorfindel a chance to fire a volley of arrows.

The first troll fell by a rather lucky shot, but the second was more powerful and harder to subdue.

Glorfindel ascended the tree once more in an attempt to confuse the troll's viscous attack.

The troll saw the movement and moved to counter-attack it. Glorfindel shot a few arrows, but luck was not on his side. The arrows all glanced off uselessly.

The troll shook the tree Glorfindel was in, and it snapped between the harsh beatings of the vile creature. As Glorfindel fell, he tried to reach a safe spot, but the ground rushed up faster than he could move.

The tree fell violently, crushing all that was beneath it, including Glorfindel.

Glorfindel heard a _snap _when he landed on the ground at an awkward angle. The pain came exactly when expected, so Glorfindel was not fazed by a broken bone. He was more worried about the troll right now.

As if his thoughts summoned him, the troll stomped towards the tree and picked up Glorfindel, aggravating his broken bone and squeezing all the air out of him.

Glorfindel knew it was no use trying to free himself from the iron grasp of the troll, so instead he waited patiently. Then a thought came into his head like the dawn of morning.

He whistled. The troll paid no heed and leveled Glorfindel with his eyes.

Then, looking like a true hero, Asfaloth galloped around the troll and distracted him for the mere moment it would take for Glorfindel to pry himself out of the troll's hand.

The troll dropped Glorfindel most unceremoniously onto the ground as he attempted to swat away the Elven horse.

Since Glorfindel's bow had cracked under the troll's steely grasp, Glorfindel knew what he had to do instead. He had to climb onto the troll and kill it with his sword. But he needed a distraction.

Glorfindel smiled as he realized that he had the distraction he needed, Asfaloth. He then climbed another tree, close to the troll's head, so he could jump onto his head.

He landed on the troll's head. He scrambled to stay on top of it. He cautiously worked his way onto the top of his head. He pulled out his sword and stuck it in the skull. The troll roared in pain and fell over.

Glorfindel jumped of the troll's head before he fell.

After the adrenaline wore out he felt his left arm spasm in pain because of his broken wrist. Glorfindel sighed. Another delay. He made sure Asfaloth was alright, and went over to a stream to wash his scrapes from the tree falling. He also got a better look at his wrist.

It wasn't too dreadful, but it would inhibit him from using his left hand. He calmed himself down and set it as quickly as possible. A muffled cry escaped his lips.

He then made a splint out of a short but sturdy stick to keep it from moving. It was going to take at least a week to be usable again, he knew. It would be a long week.

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**A/N: This was a VERY difficult chapter to write, hence the shortness of it. Please forgive any mistakes or anything that just seems wrong. Constructive criticisms welcome, but please no flames.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!**


	5. Chapter 5: Traveling with Memories

**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 5**

Clip-clop 

Glorfindel gritted his teeth. Really, a broken bone shouldn't be so painful. The strides of the horse were graceful, but somehow managed to jar his already painful break.

Pressing on, he urged the horse to a faster pace.

It was not unusual for Glorfindel to get injured, but it was rare for an injury to hinder him to the point of exhaustion. Glorfindel knew the facts, and he also knew his body's limits.

He _would _rest, but for his compelling urge to keep going. There was very little he could do about his exhaustion, strange as the feeling of helplessness was.

He looked up at the sky, wishing for the sun to show her bright face through the boughs of the trees and the thick clouds. There were more dangers in the wood when the sun hid her face. Glorfindel remembered the days of youth when the clouds gave the thrilling prospect of rain. He had loved to play in the rain. But now the clouds bid ill omen, and he wished again for the carefree days of childhood, though he knew they would not come.

Glorfindel sighed quietly, then concentrated on the problem at hand. The light was dim, providing little protection from the sun-fearing predators. Considering this, both options, whether to keep going or whether to stop, had pros and cons.

Continuing would mean risk of being ambushed, and in his current state, Glorfindel knew he would have little chance of defeating his enemies. But he would also be closer to helping Estel and the Hobbits, and he felt the desperate need to find them as quickly as possible.

The other option, to stop and rest, held little appeal to Glorfindel, but he knew that if he did not stop soon he would verge on the point of collapsing. Glorfindel knew he had an instinct of when there was danger about, but the enemies could still get past his small line of defense while he was already down. It was dangerous to run a solo mission in these days, Glorfindel thought bitterly, repressing another groan.

**A/N: Finally posted…So sorry about the long wait. I had tons of homework. And I caught something really bad, got a 101.8-degree F. fever, and felt horrible for awhile. I haven't even used my comp much for the past few weeks. And, my hardrive died. Luckily all my documents were saved though. Again, sorry about the wait. **

**Disclaimer: Definitely not mine.**

**Replies to reviews:**

**Elven Script: Lol! Asfaloth is cool :)**

**Starlit jewel: Well, it's only _supposed _to take 9 days…So yeah, this is like his 3rd or 4th day on the road. I guess I can always say elves heal fast!**

**Ellfine: I'm not sure how I'm going to keep him in one piece… I still have several _events_ planned for him.**

**Seeing-spots: Yeah, I had to do that because it's just so…Glorfindel :)**

**Lynn-G: Thanks for reviewing! It makes my day.**

**Rhys: Thank you so much for reviewing! I am hoping to rewrite those chapters, but it will take a long time. I have plans for rewriting them, but I came to the conclusion that I should just post revised chapters after the story ends. It will be a long time, but I have many plans! **

**And my poem, 'Lost', was supposed to be post-war of the ring. Like how Rangers were not respected in towns… And then Aragorn has something really depressing happen to him. I will probably finish writing this story and post the other one when complete.**

**Again, thanks for reviewing!**


	6. Chapter 6: Lurking Danger

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 6**

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As Glorfindel looked for a safe place to camp for the night, Glorfindel knew something was wrong. Night was approaching swiftly, as winter was nearing, and his instincts told him something was wrong. It was too quiet. The trees did not even whisper amongst themselves this night. The quiet was not of calm, nor tranquility, but of apprehension, and of dread.

Glorfindel knew it was unsafe to travel in the darkness on a night such as this. His memory flashed and he suddenly felt as if he were reliving an old memory. The woods had been still then, too, but he had been with a scouting party. That evening was not one Glorfindel would choose to remember, but it did open his senses to a new height of awareness. The small party had been ambushed by over a hundred orcs, in a place where most felt secure and close enough to home that an ambush was unthinkable. Only a few had come out alive. Glorfindel was one of the few.

Often he had questioned himself if he could have done better, or if he could have been more aware of his surroundings. The questions never knew answers, so Glorfindel had stopped questioning himself a long time ago. But the memory still left him unsettled, and he gazed about warily.

But now was not the time to reckon with his past. There were problems at hand, problems that needed a solution quickly.

Glorfindel heard a wail. It was a shrill, shrieking sound that replaced his cautiousness with an extreme fear. Glorfindel knew that cry. It was the cry of a Nazgul.

Glorfindel calmed his fear, and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

_So there are more than one of those creatures in this forest._ Glorfindel thought with a silent curse.

The Trollshaws were already dangerous enough. Glorfindel hated the thought of having to outrun both a Nazgul and a party of orcs, as well as trying to find tracks to lead him onto the Hobbits trail. Why, when he found Estel…

As Glorfindel imagined the lecture he was going to give that Edain, he also imagined that cursed innocent look that ranger always gave him when Glorfindel blamed him for something. Estel had been more reproachful of late, and sometimes instead of the innocent-look, he would get The Glare. Glorfindel sighed and began to understand why the ranger was irritable. These woods would fray anyone's nerves.

Glorfindel then came upon a small series of caves. They looked relatively safe, and he didn't feel particularly wary against them.

When he entered, he found that the cave was shallow and came to an abrupt stop after about 15 feet. Glorfindel decided he would stay here tonight, against his own better judgment.

Glorfindel grabbed some dried meat and hard bread from a small knapsack. The meal was simple but efficient enough.

As Glorfindel settled down to sleep, he was still troubled by the evil he sensed in his mind. It faded sometimes, but it remained there, steadily pulsing until Glorfindel's exhaustion lulled him to sleep.

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**A/N: I know that took forever. I'm really sorry it took so long, I'll try to update faster. My computer crashed twice while I was writing this chapter, and it took a while to fix it. The file was saved, but my inspiration was gone for quite a while.**

**On an extra note, do you know how old an elf would be to act as mature as a mortal of 7 or 8 years old? I was wondering for a story I have planned.**

**Replies to reviews:**

**Ellfine: Thanks! I appreciate your kind reviews. **

**Seeing-spots: Lol! Sorry about the long update. **


	7. Chapter 7: Burning Dreams

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 7**

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Glorfindel dreamed that night.

He saw Gandalf, falling. Flame engulfed the wizard. Glorfindel did not see what Gandalf was fighting, but he felt the same dread, the same struggle, the same burning fire that he felt when he was fighting a Balrog. At this, Glorfindel feared. Only by the grace of the Valar had he been sent back.

If Mithrandir fell, it would mean the world was on the verge of collapse. Many would lose hope if Mithrandir fell into darkness. Already many elves were leaving the shores.

Glorfindel helplessly watched as Gandalf fell. The flame blinded Glorfindel, and he was engulfed into the furious flame. Now Glorfindel saw the devilish face of the Balrog. The burning was sharp, and Glorfindel had to fight from crying out. This was too real.

Though Glorfindel thought there were Balrogs of Morgoth had been vanquished, he knew there was one, lurking in shadowy depths, waiting for Gandalf. Waiting.

Glorfindel stared at the Balrog and tried to free himself, but the hatred that was in the creature's eyes burned more furiously than the flame that engulfed him. Suddenly, everything went black, and the searing heat of the fire increased. Glorfindel finally succumbed to the pain after what felt like hours and cried out.

He woke with a shudder.

Glorfindel tried to forget the dream, but the pain was all too real. Glorfindel had dreamt several dreams like that, where he was fighting the Balrog once more, and fire trapped him. The suffocating feeling was the worst part of the dream. This time Gandalf had been there. Glorfindel wondered what triggered that. He knew much of the dream was actual memory, and each he dreamt it he felt he was reliving the trauma.

Glorfindel attempted to forget the dream, and carefully he looked around the entrance of the cave. Not seeing or sensing any immediate danger, Glorfindel checked on Asfaloth.

Somehow, brushing Asfaloth, though constant primping seemed to give the horse a little too much ego, was comforting. It always eased Glorfindel's nerves, and often he found when caring for something, someone, always seemed to put your mind back in the moment. Facing a Balrog was everything but disorienting.

Suddenly, Glorfindel heard something. It would have seemed normal enough, to hear a branch snapping, but for the fact that the horse suddenly tensed under his hands.

Instantly, Glorfindel was on his guard, and quietly soothed the stallion by whispering soothing elvish.

He silently unsheathed his dagger, and waited for the approaching enemy to make another mistake.

After a minute of waiting, he heard a barely distinguishable _snap! _and he determined where the enemy was headed and where he was coming from. Glorfindel judged that if his opponent could be that quiet, he was no orc. He hoped it was a creature of no greater intelligence, but he knew the chances were unlikely.

Glorfindel saw a flash of movement, but before he could estimate who he was up against, the glimpse disappeared. He had reflexes almost as good as his, and, frankly, that worried him. Glorfindel still was not healed from his battle with the cave troll, and, though he was loathe to admit it, his wrist ached incessantly. All other sores he could put aside, but he knew when it came to a fierce battle, he wasn't in the best of shape.

Glorfindel melted into the trees and stealthily made his way over to where he estimated the creature was skulking. He knew it was trying to lure him towards it, but for what point and purpose? Obviously not a pleasant one, but if he was walking into a trap…

Glorfindel shoved the thought aside. There was no place for fear. Not here.

He caught another glimpse of the creature. It blended in well with its surroundings.

This time, he instantly and silently was behind the creature, with his dagger to his throat.

The being spun around, leaving no time to catch sight of his face, and kicked him, ducking out of the way of Glorfindel's dagger and reaching for his own sword.

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**A/N: I tried to make this chapter longer. I'm sure you can see I can never resist a cliffie! I'm back on a normal updating schedule, so I should hope there will be another chapter in about a week. **

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**Seeing-spots: Thanks for reviewing. I'll try to make the chapters longer as I go.**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8: Battle in the Trees

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 8**

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Glorfindel's enemy spun around and reached for his sword. He had somehow managed to knock Glorfindel's dagger out of his hand. Suddenly, the hooded man laughed. 

Glorfindel, distracted, paused. The laugh was familiar. It was soft but hearty.

"Estel! Why you little rat!"

Aragorn pulled down his hood and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you and the missing Hobbits! Do you know how dangerous it is out here?"

Aragorn's face turned solemn. "These are dark days."

"It looks like, instead of me finding you, you have found me." Glorfindel raised his eyebrows.

Aragorn laughed. "Don't do that. It makes you look just like Adar."

Glorfindel mock-glared and immediately lowered his eyebrows.

"I felt something dark roaming the forest, so I left the Hobbits to scout the area. I saw a small orc party roaming these trees, and I was hoping to take them by surprise. Unfortunately, I just saw what appears to be a much larger band moving this way. I was heading back to our camp when I heard something. It sounded like a muffled scream."

Glorfindel grimaced, but made no comment.

Aragorn gave him a questioning glance, but continued. "I didn't see who it was, so I waited here, hoping to see something." His eyes glinted playfully as he mockingly said, "I hope I didn't hurt you."

"On the contrary. I'd be all to glad to do it again and give you the beating you deserve."

Aragorn stiffened a second before Glorfindel heard it.

"Yrch." Glorfindel growled.

"Vala-" Glorfindel knocked Aragorn in the head.

"Your adar would be appalled." He sent him a stern glance, only broken when Aragorn muttered something.

"It's your fault."

"Why you -" He glanced around. "Now is not the time to argue with your elders."

He quickly filed through his options. He heard the orcs coming closer. There was no chance to run.

He glanced towards the trees and hoped Aragorn would follow him. He figured the ranger had already anticipated the same thing. He just hoped an ambush would work.

"Why is it that trouble follows you like a magnet?" Glorfindel muttered to Aragorn. He glared at Glorfindel while he perched on a limb in the tree next to him.

He mouthed, "It's not my fault!" This brought a smile to both their faces as they remembered childhood days. It was always Estel's fault, or so the twins always said.

Glorfindel heard them get louder and louder, until he could smell them. It took only a few minutes for them to enter the clearing.

They were a large party of perhaps forty, and Glorfindel knew the odds were against them.

He heard one order a halt, and they began to search the area. So, the orcs knew they were here. It wasn't surprising, given their attuned sense of smell, but Glorfindel had hoped to take them by surprise.

He signaled for Aragorn to take the first shot. The ranger shot the captain square in the neck, killing him instantly.

The orcs were instantly on their guard, and Glorfindel and Aragorn took their next shots as quickly as possible. The orcs had probably already figured out where their enemies were located, and Glorfindel planned to wreak as much havoc on them as possible in the short amount of time they had.

"In the trees!" He heard an orc bellow. This brought enemy fire near his vicinity. He darted to another tree, hoping to fire a few more arrows before turning to hand-to-hand combat.

He noted that between the two of them, Glorfindel and Aragorn had slain fifteen orcs with arrows. He shot two more and dropped to the ground.

The orcs couldn't fire arrows at him, but he noted that a few were still firing in the trees. He realized that Aragorn was still in the trees.

He was outnumbered ten to one. He needed help fast. Unfortunately, Aragorn was still in the trees.

He dodged a blow and ducked, his back nearly pressed against a tree.

Aragorn leapt down from the tree, and he saw that Aragorn was hardly in a better position.

He parried another blow, and forcefully went on the offensive, striking a few orcs. One of them fell to the ground, motionless. A few others snarled in pain, distracted. Glorfindel took his chance and stabbed a orc quickly. He whirled around, deflecting another blow.

He was slightly worried now. He saw Aragorn wasn't faring very well, either.

Glorfindel hadn't wanted to drag Asfaloth into this, but there was little hope of escaping with such odds against them.

He dodged a strike, and then _s_pun around to kill the offending orc.

He whistled.

Asfaloth galloped into the fray, distracting half the orcs. It was Glorfindel's chance to turn the odds around.

_Strike, deflect, dodge, attack._

Glorfindel saw a small group of perhaps a dozen fleeing from the group. Aragorn chased after the swiftly disappearing group, leaving Glorfindel to finish the job.

There were only a few orcs left; four were trying to face down Glorfindel and three others were provoking Asfaloth.

Glorfindel was fighting hard, but somehow he just couldn't breach any of their defenses. He heard a whinny, and saw that Asfaloth had been hurt. This seemed to encourage the orcs fighting Glorfindel, but he recovered from the split-second distraction faster than they did.

There was only one to go when Asfaloth had trampled all of his tormentors.

The last orc had a challenge in his eyes, but he was no match against Glorfindel. With a quick sweep of his sword, the last orc was down.

He saw that Aragorn was nowhere in sight, and this troubled Glorfindel, but there was little he could do at the moment.

He noticed that Asfaloth was bleeding. Concerned, he murmured soothingly, and quicklyscouted the areato get something to clean it with.

If only Aragorn hadn't run off…

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**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I tried to put some creativity into it. I'm sorry if my action scenes aren't too great, I haven't had a lot of practice and I'm still not entirely comfortable with those scenes.**

**And, as a not quite so random note, I believe this is Day6 of Glorfindel's journey.**

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**Gives cookies to reviewers**

**Seeing-spots: Yes, our dear Estel kicked him. I had some fun with that thought. :P Yeah, he probably wanted to head back to Rivendell a long time ago, but as the author I'll have to exercise restraint and keep him from doing that. Thanks for your kind reviews!**

**Ellfine: I tried to keep it interesting. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Thunder and Rain

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 9**

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Glorfindel trudged through the rain, leading an injured Asfaloth by the reins.

He had been planning his revenge Aragorn since the rain started falling.

_Hot horse manure would be good… He could never get the smell off._

Glorfindel could almost hear Elrond's scolding voice.

"_Glorfindel, now who do you sound like?"_

Glorfindel growled. "Easy for you to say. It's not _you_ that's been sent after a fool-hardy mortal and a bunch of Halflings. It's not you who's had a spoiled elven princeling to baby-sit. It's not you who had to battle one of the most evil creatures in Middle Earth. It's not you who had to battle four-dozen orcs with a clumsy mortal. It's not you who has the horse whose been beaten by twisted _yrch_. It's not you trudging through the rain. Easy for _you_ to say."

Glorfindel knew a warrior should never complain, but…

"_You're getting old, Glorfindel. You're too soft. You need a _real_ adventure."_

Glorfindel imagined Elladan's teasing voice. Elladan and Elrohir always said things like that. They could drive him crazy sometimes.

Glorfindel glared into the shadows. The dark seemed to be playing tricks on his mind. Ever since the clouds rolled in, nothing was clear.

He had traveled in the very same forest many times, but now it was different. Back then there was no sense of foreboding lingering in the air.

Glorfindel shrugged off the oppressive feeling, and continued on. He just wished the stars would show their faces...

The rain started to sprinkle lightly, and Glorfindel was relieved. The heavy downpour had made continuing difficult for Asfaloth, who had lost his footing on several rocky protrusions.

Glorfindel was worried about Asfaloth. He was injured near his eye and had an infected gash on his left flank.

Glorfindel had been irritated when Aragorn had suddenly left to chase after stray orcs. But soon, it had risen to more than just irritation when Glorfindel found that with Asfaloth's wounds, he could not catch up, and then the rain had washed away all traces of the ranger.

He had just been within sight of his goal, but then the irresponsible ranger decided Glorfindel needed some payback. This was not the time to play games! Elrond had warned him of the importance of this mission. The weight of Arda rested upon the shoulder of one small Halfling.

Unfortunately, there was little he could do about such things.

He heard a snap, and it instantly brought him out of his reverie. His fingers reached for the hilt of his sword.

Looking around, he saw nothing. Asfaloth did not appear alarmed. Glorfindel took it as a warning to not let down his guard again.

He heard the rain beating against the trees, dropping down to fall on his head. It was the beginning of a very wet evening.

Senses tuned, Glorfindel listened intently for any signs of disturbance. Besides the rain, it was quiet, but it was not an apprehensive silence.

The quiet continued into the evening, when Glorfindel decided he should check on Asfaloth's wounds.

Glorfindel reached out to brush Asfaloth, who whinnied at the intrusion. He unbound the bandage and let out a hiss. The gash on Asfaloth's flank was festering with infection.

"Why don't you tell me about these things?" Glorfindel clucked his tongue in a reprimanding manner.

Asfaloth neighed softly. Glorfindel smiled.

"I know I told you not to complain, but you have to tell me when you're hurt." Glorfindel cast a knowing glance at Asfaloth. "And that doesn't include free oatmeal and apples."

He quickly began applying some healing treatment Elrond had given him before he left.

Asfaloth snorted quietly.

Glorfindel bound up the wound, and gratefully noted that the few other injuries Asfaloth had attained were not infected.

Knowing that Asfaloth couldn't keep traveling in his condition, Glorfindel began to set up camp. There was a secluded area that looked safe behind a large cluster of trees. It was still raining, unfortunately, and Glorfindel knew it was going to rain long after midnight.

A crackle was heard in the distance, and Glorfindel warily looked around.

It was going to be a long night.

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**A/N: This week has been so busy, I had no time to write or update! I'm so sorry! I've been trying to keep up with school and everything, and I really got stuck on this chapter! I'll try to update faster next time.**

**Replies to reviews:**

** gives brownies to reviewers**

**Washow: Thanks for the encouragement! I'll try to get it done soon. I'm expecting somewhere around 20 chapters, though, and that may take a while.**

**Ellfine: I really enjoyed writing that conversation. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Seeing-spots: You've really motivated me to write more. I was slightly worried about writing the battle, and I really appreciate your encouragement.**


	10. Chapter 10: Finding a Way

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**The Balrog Slayer Rides Again**

**Chapter 10**

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Glorfindel woke when the sun had just peeked over the edge of the forest, and Glorfindel welcomed the light. It drove off most of the things that dwelled in his nightmares.

Elves weren't supposed to have nightmares, or, at any rate, it was a rare occurrence, but that never stopped his nightmares, and Glorfindel's sheer existence was unusual.

Glorfindel got up and shook off the last vestige of the night. It was morning now, and traveling would be easy. Well, easy enough for an injured horse and his rider.

Glorfindel looked around. Without worry, he noted that Asfaloth was no where in sight. Glorfindel was not concerned, because he knew Asfaloth would not stray too far.

Quickly, he erased all signs of his camp. He was ready quickly, trained after many years of experience.

Asfaloth quietly galloped into the glade, neighing softly.

Glorfindel noticed Asfaloth's limp with concern. It was no better than the night before, and Asfaloth's coat and mane were beginning to look unhealthy.

"Always get into trouble, don't you?" Glorfindel said quietly with a rather fond expression on his face. "You'll make it though." He smiled proudly. "Always do."

Glorfindel knelt and dug through his pack. He went through it twice before finally crying out in frustration. "Where in Arda -" He stopped abruptly when he saw very faint traces of a camp, about two days old. He lightly fingered the marks of a quickly covered campfire, careful not to disturb any marks.

He noticed a few sets of footprints mostly covered up or worn over.

_How could I have been so blind?_

Someone, maybe several people, had camped in this same glade. The hurried job of covering the tracks was obviously a hurried attempt, though the rushed job was methodically spread across the camp, leaving the glade empty, or some would think. But the traces remained, and Glorfindel triumphantly figured it was that runaway ranger and the Hobbits. He had caught the plural from talking to Strider briefly, and he was rather curious to meet the small beings.

He followed the imprints, possibly the imprint of a foot, to a small tree, which clearly has hoof marks around it.

"This is it…" Glorfindel whispered. His eyes blazed. He knew he had to catch up quickly. Waiting was not an option; it could cost severe consequences, consequences all too likely to be disastrous to the fate of Middle Earth.

"Come on, Asfaloth!" Glorfindel said, not sparing a glance to the patient horse.

When Glorfindel turned around and saw the contents of his pack strewn about, he realized he had gotten ahead of himself.

He hung his head slightly, and said to Asfaloth, "I really get too ahead of myself sometimes; you really should tell me when you need something." He smiled ruefully. "We've had this talk before."

Glaring at the pile of stuff, though it could hardly be called a pile, he approached it brusquely. He rummaged through the stack, looking for salve and bandages.

Finally finding them, he soothingly applied the healing ointment onto Asfaloth's injured flank. He gently wrapped the bandage across the gash, and thankfully noticed that the infection was going down some.

"You have to stop being so good at this hero stuff, you'll steal the spotlight!" He grinned at the horse. Though they had no open form of communication, they understood each other, and Glorfindel was sure Asfaloth's eyes lit up at the jesting comment.

Glorfindel erased the signs of both camps and slung his pack over his shoulder. He led Asfaloth, following the trail.

The hoof prints were not easy to decipher in the dark woods, and at least twice Glorfindel lost his way. But the tracks would appear back eventually, and the delays were not too costly.

Slowly, Glorfindel realized he was gaining on them. Glorfindel figured it would be a good four days before Glorfindel caught up, but he was not about to give up. No, he would continue on until he had a firm hold on that irritating ranger. He hoped that nothing would happen until then. 

He finally realized it was getting dark, and, reluctant to lose his way, he settled down for the night. He was restless, and sleep was hard. The dark pressed in, finally sending him into the world of sleep.

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**TBC…**

**A/N: This chapter was so hard to write! I'm terribly sorry for the delay. We've been really busy, and we have a lto to do. Please forgive me! All this stuff is really time and energy consuming, so I wasn't left with much creative inspiration. And I have like five plot bunnies that have absolutely nothing to do with this. It was rather distracting. Stupid bunnies… Keep biting me… Lol!**

**This chapter was supposed to be day seven of Glorfindel's journey, and in the book it says:**

'**Since then I have searched for your trail. Two days ago I found it, and followed it over the bridge; and today I marked where you descended from the hills again.'**

–**THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING; Chapter XII: Flight to the Ford**

**So, I had to make him find the trail, and from here on I'll try to follow the book better. Sorry about the earlier mistakes, I wasn't paying enough attention to the book. **

**I have finally determined how long this story shall be (if everything works out) and, sadly, I am near the end. I am expecting about 13-14 chapters. I will try to update every week, but I have a lot going on right now, so please help me along and just bear with the wait:D **

**Kudos if you read all that! It's pretty important. At least_ I_ think so. But isn't everything I say important: P**

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**gives chocolate pudding to reviewers**

**Nolitari: Yeah. We don't really want to know what happens, do we? Good. Lol! And you finally get your chocolate pudding! When do I get the pumpkin pie? MINE!**

**Seeing-spots: Yes, it's very fun to make Glorfindel nervous. Especially when everything is going wrong. But things finally turned around in this chapter! And thanks for the tip! I love horses, but I haven't really read anything about them. **

**Ellfine: LOL! Making Glorfy miffed is what I do best. **

**Please review! I live off of reviews!**


	11. Chapter 11: Sidetracked

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The Balrog Slayer Rides Again

**Chapter 11

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Glorfindel traveled warily through the woods, following the tracks as best he could. He led Asfaloth with the reigns, urging him to be silent.

Ever since he had woken, Glorfindel had a sense of foreboding, and the impression lingered all morning. Later, Glorfindel found his worries were well placed when he found that a small orc band was a few miles away, too close for comfort.

Occasionally, Glorfindel would leave the trail to scout around, and found that the party was beginning to turn toward him, and they would be upon him in a mere matter of hours, if this course held true.

Glorfindel could hardly leave the trail to avoid them, for, if he did, the path would surely be lost to him, and they could very well trample over any remaining signs.

He sighed, as the orcs were close now, and in a very short while they would intercept him. Glorfindel resisted the urge to curse, knowing it would not help his current situation.

He went over his options for what seemed like the thousandth time. Glorfindel could hardly risk challenging them by himself, but if he lost the trail, he might waste another week searching for them, and Glorfindel did not want to guess at what could possibly happen in even that short amount of time.

Glorfindel heard a rustling sound, and in a split second he found a black arrow skimming his shoulder and sticking into the tree behind him.

A little irritated with himself, for he had been to distracted to see the attack coming, he drew his blade, and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a hideous orc. Behind him there were two others, apparently scouts.

A blow was aimed for his head, but Glorfindel parried the attack and found himself a little too close to the orc. Whirling around, he dispatched his head, a leering grin remaining on the hideous face.

The other two advanced slowly, the first letting out a call.

Glorfindel cursed. He really wasn't in the mood for this. The first orc, rather stout, was carrying a mace, and the second was taller. He seemed to have a limp, but it didn't seem to impede his advance on Glorfindel.

Impatiently, Glorfindel rolled his eyes and ran to attack them. Given no warning, the first was killed by a quick blow to the heart.

The other orc proved to be more of a challenge. Caught off guard, Glorfindel suddenly had to drop to avoid a swinging blow from his scimitar. The wicked blade passed barely an inch above Glorfindel's head.

Glorfindel, apparently a perfect image of calm, was growing frustrated with all these diversions. Glorfindel drew upon the agility granted to him and his race by the Valar, and the orc was slain within a matter of seconds.

He noted their quivers were full, and grabbed a handful of arrows in case of emergencies. With contempt, he saw that they were poorly made, but his arrows were running low, and he had little time to craft his own out in the wild.

Whispering a quick command in elvish, Glorfindel was off, and Asfaloth was safe among the trees.

Quickly, so that no mortal eye could follow, Glorfindel went from tree to tree, planning the inevitable attack. There were few options, so his simple plan was formulated in a few seconds. Speed was of the essence, and Glorfindel assumed the call that the orc had let out was a signal to the rest of the band.

Glorfindel had little trouble finding the orc band. They had no care for stealth, and an even smaller care for the forest, so the noise alone could have guided the most inept of mortals. He smirked. This was their downfall.

He heard them arguing amongst themselves, and suddenly called a halt. Glorfindel's smirk disappeared as he realized that his attack would not be nearly as effective as before.

Below him, the argument was turning into a furious argument between two apparent leaders. He heard several curses spat out every few seconds, and, without any warning, the first orc slew the other, and several weak outcries were heard among the troop. The new leader turned around angrily, and some of the protesters quieted down. But another protest was soon brought up, and angry shouts were heard.

Safely hidden in the tree, an idea suddenly came to Glorfindel's mind. Eyes suddenly gleaming, Glorfindel's plan changed.

He grabbed one of the orc arrows he had taken from the orcs, and fitted it to his bow. Slowly, he watched the heated debate, the petty disagreement firing up into a violent disagreement. Orcs were such ill-tempered creatures.

Narrowing his eyes, he watched for the perfect moment.

He saw the leader turn to another orc, glaring and issuing a gruff command.

There. Just one more second and…

_Now!_

He fired the arrow and instantly killed the leader. Confusion reigned throughout the camp as they recognized the orc arrow.

He hoped this would work. It appeared to be going just as planned…

Aha! He saw an orc draw his sword on another, and a vicious skirmish broke out. He saw several fall, and was somewhat pleased by the havoc he had wreaked.

Suddenly, to Glorfindel's dismay, an orc, with mottled green-black skin, was calming the group down. Already, nine were slain, and this orc, with limited but progressive success, was trying to stop the violence.

Glorfindel knew he had to act fast. If he didn't shoot now, when confusion still blinded them, he would certainly be found out.

He grabbed another black arrow, and smoothly drew his bow and fired. He shot a stout and burly looking orc, who gurgled and fell to the ground.

Green-Skin growled ferociously as the group suddenly broke the tense silence that had hung in the air. The battled each other, looking for the offender, sure it was one of their own.

Glorfindel hoped they wouldn't have time to figure out that there were few on the ground who could fire arrows at such a precise angle.

Deciding it would probably be best if he could leave for the moment, he leapt to another tree, and from there climbed onto another tree, where he silently climbed down, and sprinted to a safe enough distance, and found a small stream. He could still hear them, but he felt safe knowing they were busy with troubles of their own.

He closed his eyes and listened to the soft murmur of the stream. And he waited.

After ten minutes of fearsome fighting, Glorfindel heard the clamor quiet down a bit. Cautiously, he made his way back to where the fighting began. He hid behind the dense foliage of a bush.

He heard two voices. They were arguing, but from what Glorfindel could hear they were not about to come to blows.

_So they have learned their lesson._

A dark grin lit Glorfindel's face. Maybe these two were more intelligent than others. Such a shame to end theses _intelligent_ life-forms' existence.

He fired the arrows in the space of time it would take to blink, and the two fell to the ground.

There was little use in trying to hide the battle, as the carcasses of perhaps forty orcs littered the ground.

With a small shake of his head, he began to search for the barely recognizable imprints of a pony's hoof. He walked a few meters away from the battle, going in the direction he had been following.

Scanning the ground with sharp eyes, he walked around the area, and without too much trouble, he found something. Not quite what he was looking for, but it was certainly worth following.

He saw the imprint of a large foot, walking in the direction of the large tree on Glorfindel's left. Following the footsteps, he found a small _athelas_ plant, which had been shorn of a few precious leaves. The severed stem was hardly wilted.

He whistled for Asfaloth. The faithful horse came trotting up with a snort.

Glorfindel grinned triumphantly with a dangerous glint in his eye.

He was catching up.

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**A/N: Whew…****Sorry for the long delay. My inspiration got tired. When I finished For What Hope is Worth, I got more inspiration for this, so I began to work on it. And now, voila! Chapter 11. I hope you enjoyed the much-requested-after action! And, I tried to make it longer to make up for the long delay.**

**As I said on my bio, chapter 12 will be where the curtains close. **

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**gives fried okra – erm, chocolate cake to reviewers**

**Ellfine: Your instincts have served you right. Lol! Glorfindel could never stay out of trouble. **

**Seeing-spots: Ah, the power of chocolate pudding! I hope cake works just as well… Lol! I'm glad you liked the chapter. As always, support is appreciated! And thanks for reviewing For What Hope is Worth. Reviews make my day. grins**

**Nolitari: Ye landlubber! No pirate stock have ye anywhere in that bone! Ha! Need a backbone as well, ye scallywag! It's a crying shame I can't still be callin' ye that. But I must have some trace of kindness in the piratey heart o' mine! Aye…Can I be havin' that pumpkin pie o' yours now, lassy?**

**As always, reviews are wonderfully appreciated, so please review! Mind you, it might speed up the update.**


	12. Chapter 12: The Frying Pan

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The Balrog Slayer Rides Again

**Chapter 12

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Aragorn gently cut a few _athelas_ leaves from the plant. Humming softly, he eyed the other plants, searching for any useful herbs. Then he sighted a plant he had not seen in a long time. He recalled Elrond showing it to him, many long years ago. But he could not remember its name, nor its purpose. He stopped humming, sighed, and tried to call to mind its use. It could be helpful.

"_I could kill you now, elf-man."_ Aragorn had, unfortunately, been able to learn some Black Speech during his many travels. He knew enough to translate the threat directed at him, followed closely by a disgusting blade to his neck that looked like it had not been cleaned in ages. Aragorn tensed, feeling angry at himself for not hearing it approach. He heard a cackle._ "But that would be no fun."_

Aragorn groaned inwardly. The blade came very close to drawing blood. He could probably reverse the situation in mere moments, but it would be a futile attempt if there were more _yrch_. And the Hobbits… He needed to act fast.

**_- - - - -_**

Glorfindel had only lost the trail once after he had found the _athelas_ plant, and he found it after only half an hour. It wasn't a fatal setback, he hoped. The rest of his journey had gone quickly, Glorfindel having an idea which path they were following and what direction they needed to go. This had left him with time to think. Perhaps too much.

He had already imagined quite a few gory deaths for Lord Elrond, as well as vividly imagining feeding Estel to Legolas' pet spiders, when he heard very soft humming. It was an Elvish tune, he knew he had heard it in the Halls of Fire, but he could not place its name.

He whispered quietly to Asfaloth to stay there, and Glorfindel's approach became silent, so quiet not even a master hunter could have hear him coming. Not even Aragorn.

The humming stopped, and for a moment Glorfindel wondered if he had been caught. He continued his approach, and with every move he blended in with the shadows and moved with the wind. Finally, he had the ranger in sight. After all these days… Oh, he would not let Estel get away with this one. He had plotted his revenge since the moment it had started to rain, immediately after the skirmish with the orcs. He had come up with a rather brilliant plan, and had snatched an orc blade before he had left the scene.

Glorfindel had thousands of years to meet dark company and learn their language. He thought the knowledge only came in handy when eavesdropping on the enemy, but he found out it could also be a handy prank tool.

He thought for a moment, searching for something to say. When he finally did, and dark and gleeful smile lit upon his face.

He crept up behind the ranger, and used the most guttural accent he could muster. He put the orc blade against Aragorn neck. "_I could kill you now, elf-man."_ He felt a sense of pride when Aragorn reacted immediately, but to keep up appearances, he cackled, needing to release some of the amusement that had built up. _"But that would be no fun."_

**_- - - - - _**

Aragorn was quite startled when he heard a solid _KATHUUNK_. The blade immediately was withdrawn from his neck.

Aragorn turned around, staring at both Samwise Gamgee, a bunch of herbs grasped in one palm, an empty pan in the other; and Glorfindel, who looked rather dazed.

A gasp was drawn from the small audience.

"You _hit_ the _elf_ with a _frying pan_?"

Aragorn, who was currently crushing _athelas _into a small pot of boiling water, smiled. He was glad to distract the Hobbits from Frodo's dire condition, and even thought Glorfindel might suffer a headache for a few hours after he woke, which would be soon, Glorfindel would be fine.

Samwise Gamgee, the Hobbit in question, was about to answer Merry, when a musical voice interrupted all their thoughts.

"Ah, I do believe it was a _saucepan_."

They all looked over, to see Glorfindel sitting up, with a bemused smile. "But do not worry, my dear Hobbit friend, I will be well soon."

Sam blushed, and Aragorn had pity for the small Hobbit. He broke through the silence, which had been no more than a second, and said, "You're finally awake. Good. How do you feel?"

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow at Aragorn's brusque tone. "As well as anyone should when they've just been pounded in the head with a sauce pan."

Aragorn left no time for the elf to get the upper hand. "Well, then, I suppose you won't mind cooking dinner." He heard the quiet laughter of Hobbits.

Glorfindel mock-glared at the man with a playful glint in his eye. "If you trust me."

Aragorn met his glare with an even gaze. "Should I not?"

Sam was quick to interrupt. "I don't mind making dinner, sir. It wouldn't be no trouble to me."

Aragorn, still watching Glorfindel, answered Sam. "That's very generous of you, Sam. But Glorfindel -"

"Is very happy to accept your offer." Glorfindel offered the Hobbit a smile, and he heard Merry and Pippin begin to talk about supper. _Or dinner. Or whatever this is supposed to be._ He then turned back to Aragorn, and muttered softly in Elvish, so that no one but Aragorn could hear, "But there are dark tidings as well as light in these fateful hours."

**_- - - - -_**

Glorfindel rubbed his forehead in an attempt to ward off a headache as he watched Sam prep the dinner; it would have to be cold, as they could not risk lighting a fire. He then turned his attention to Merry and Pippin, who were merrily chatting to Frodo, in hopes that he might respond.

The _athelas_ had apparently helped Frodo's condition – but Glorfindel had not been awake to see the difference. He had talked to Aragorn briefly on how he could help, but he had brought very few special healing herbs, and he did not have as much healing ability as either Elrond or Aragorn.

He sighed as the pressure of all the last few days condensed. He glanced over at Aragorn, realizing he needed to talk to the Ranger. He drew Aragorn aside, out of Hobbit hearing range, but not out of sight.

Glorfindel gave the man a hard stare, and then started the conversation on a subject that had been troubling the elf for a good two days. _"Do you remember when I found you in the forest two nights ago?"_

Aragorn nodded and gave a sheepish smile.

"_And do you remember that skirmish we had with the _yrch_?"_

Again Aragorn nodded.

"_Why in the blazes did you run off like that, hmm?"_ Aragorn could have been intimidated by Glorfindel, but he saw the playful glint in the elf's eyes.

"_After I chased off the orcs, I found that the Hobbits were in danger. I had to go back to them, and I couldn't waste time finding you again."_

Glorfindel gave the man a thoughtful stare, then broke out into a broad grin. "And you apologize for any and every inconvenience this caused me?"

Aragorn smiled, and nodded, mock-thoughtfully. "Yes, for the most part, I apologize for all the misadventures this has caused you."

Glorfindel bared his teeth in a feral grin. _"Good."_

They both laughed softly, but it was cut off as quickly as it began.

Glorfindel felt an inescapable sense of doom hovering in the air, and, looking over at Aragorn, he knew the Ranger could feel it too.

"_They are near."_ Glorfindel's voice was tense.

"_I know."_ Aragorn's response was quiet, and filled with dread.

"_We have to get Frodo to Rivendell."_

"_We might have a chance if we send him on Asfaloth."_ Aragorn looked over to assess Frodo's condition.

Glorfindel's response was cut short by a piercing cry that filled the chill night air.

Glorfindel mentally cursed, and ran back towards the Hobbits, Aragorn only seconds behind him.

Aragorn quietly but forcefully gave out orders as he tried to erase the signs of their camp.

"We've got to get moving. Sam, put the food away. Merry, tie up the bedrolls. Pippin! Pack up everything else!"

Glorfindel began to saddle up Asfaloth, attempting to make it easier for his child-sized companion to ride his faithful steed.

Another shriek filled the air.

"Glorfindel!" The tense whisper caught his attention. Aragorn, who was currently wrapping up the bandage across Frodo's shoulder, waved him over.

"_If we send him alone Asfaloth can carry him faster."_

The Hobbit suddenly opened his eyes and blinked them blearily, and entered consciousness just to hear another screech from a Ringwraith. Frodo clawed at his shoulder and cried out.

"Frodo? Frodo, can you sit up?" Aragorn spoke as if they had all the time in the world.

Frodo appeared to be gathering strength as he closed his eyes. Aragorn helped him up, and gently picked him up.

As Aragorn set Frodo on Asfaloth, Glorfindel told the Hobbit, "You will ride on my horse. Asfaloth will not let you fall, do not worry. His pace is smooth, but hold tight."

Frodo set his jaw stubbornly. "But my friends...!"

Glorfindel smiled softly. "Do not worry. If you have to leave your friends behind you, I don't believe they will be in danger if you are not with them. They will follow you, and not us. _You _are in the most danger here."

Frodo looked displeased, and did not look ready to comply, when they felt the presence of the Ringwraiths more than ever.

"Hurry! We must go." Glorfindel took the reigns of the pony, and let Aragorn assist Frodo with riding Asfaloth.

They kept a steady pace for a good while, but Glorfindel felt the Hobbits pace begin to slow. Nevertheless, he pressed them on, the shadow of evil not ceasing.

Finally, at dawn, Glorfindel allowed them to rest, the threat diminished, for the moment. And, it appeared Frodo was sinking once more into the dark dream world he now visited so often. Rest would be good for the wounded Hobbit.

As soon as they stopped, the Hobbits all cast themselves upon the soft ground and fell asleep. Glorfindel kept watch, urging Aragorn to get some sleep as well. The ranger was beginning to look a bit weary. He had, no doubt, gotten little sleep recently.

Glorfindel allowed them to sleep late into the morning, waking them near mid-day.

He noted how tired and bleary-eyed they appeared, and he brought out _miruvour_.

"Drink this. It shall restore some of your health." Glorfindel offered them each a sip of the rejuvenating liquid. It seemed to bring their spirits up, but also, after raising their awareness, allowed them to realize they had not eaten in an 'simply unreasonable' amount of time.

Aragorn brought out stale bread and dried fruit, for it was all they had left; the meal that Sam had made had suspiciously 'disappeared' on their trek. They ate in relative silence, the oppressive weight of foreboding weighing at all of them.

As soon as they had finished, Glorfindel urged them on again, hoping to reach Rivendell as soon as possible, and to leave the danger far behind them.

The Hobbits were weary, but they were keeping up well, and they made good time, but Glorfindel did not want to wear them out to exhaustion, and they stopped in mid-afternoon.

They rested near the side of the road, and the Hobbits brought out some dried fruit to snack on.

Glorfindel watched Aragorn tended to Frodo's wound once again, and noted the Ranger's grim face.

Glorfindel spoke to Aragorn in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the Hobbits, whose mood was considerably lighter since they had eaten.

"_How is Frodo faring?"_

Aragorn narrowed his eyes. _"Our pace is wearing down on him, but he is very stubborn. He should make it to Rivendell…"_ Aragorn's last statement was lightly tainted with doubt, and Glorfindel knew that Aragorn was worried.

Glorfindel nodded. _"Would you suggest lightening our pace?"_

Aragorn shook his head. _"The evil that is following him will not give up lightly. No, we must continue on with this pace." _

And so they set off once more, fatigued, but determined.

They made good time, and Glorfindel almost hoped that they could make it.

Walking ahead of the group, Glorfindel thought he heard something. A distant _clip-clop_ and a hollow shriek… He looked over to Aragorn to see if the man had heard anything, but no…the ranger's face bore no new worry. Stepping in next to the Ranger, he told him of what he had heard, in the high tongue so that the Hobbits would not be troubled.

"_It might have just been my imagination, but…"_

Aragorn shook his head. _"How distant do you suppose they were?"_

Glorfindel frowned, and his step faltered for the briefest of moments as he thought he heard it again. _"Near."_ His apprehensive statement, ended their conversation, and Glorfindel once more took up the head of the group, urging them on to new speeds.

The Hobbits looked at Glorfindel suspiciously, as if they might have guessed the nature of their conversation, though they could not understand it, being held in Elvish.

Their journey was sapping their energy, and now Glorfindel knew they were being pursued.

_No rest for the weary…_Glorfindel thought. The almost cliché phrase proved to be as true as any other proverb of old. Frodo's skin almost looked translucent, and every minute drained him. A shadow constantly dwelled on his face, making him appear almost to be a living ghost. The other Hobbits were practically sleeping on their feet. Even Aragorn appeared drained.

Glorfindel called a halt; they would get no further that night.

The Hobbits instantly settled down to sleep. Aragorn and Glorfindel argued over who should take the first watch, but eventually Glorfindel convinced Aragorn that he should get some rest. Glorfindel was somewhat surprised by the lack of argument from Aragorn. But then, he shouldn't have been; the Ranger probably hadn't gotten any fitful sleep in weeks.

The night was lonely and dark, and Glorfindel wished for a fire, but he dared not risk being found.

He let Aragorn get an hour extra sleep before waking him for his watch. He knew the Ranger would have been angry if Glorfindel hadn't woken him at all, and, the fact was, Glorfindel was tired.

As he settled down to sleep, Glorfindel had the nagging sense that nothing was going to go as planned tomorrow…

Glorfindel woke just before dawn. Aragorn was saddling Bill with his load. Glorfindel stood up and shook off the last vestige of sleep.

In a whisper, Aragorn addressed the elf. _"I can feel _them._ They are getting closer."_

Glorfindel nodded solemnly. _"I think they will try and cut us off at the Bruinen."_

Aragorn looked troubled. He fiddled with the leather straps on Bill's harness. _"I fear we won't make it."_

Glorfindel watched the man for a moment, then changed the subject. _"How is Frodo?"_ Glorfindel knew Aragorn would most likely say "Not well" or the likes of an evasive answer.

Aragorn shook his head. _"Unwell_…_"_

Glorfindel almost laughed at how well he had figured the man, but Frodo's health was shadowing over his amusement. _"I knew as much, but is there anything that might help?"_

Aragorn stared at the elf for a moment with a blank look in his eyes. _"Stand on one foot and hop around in a circle patting your head and rubbing your stomach." _Aragorn's tone was dry, and no facial expression gave away his mood.

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes, and softly, with an almost non-existent smile on his face, _"Such is the nature of men."_ Aragorn glared at him, but there was a twinkle in his eye.

"_And such is the nature of the Firstborn." _Aragorn sighed. _"Impossibly snobbish and judgmental." _

Here they both broke into broad smiles. It was an old joke, circling between the twins and Aragorn. It hadn't taken Glorfindel long to catch up, and Erestor took any opportunity to poke fun at the 'Half-Elf Hooligans' as he had taken to calling the Twins once in a while.

Back in the moment, Aragorn had woken Frodo up to re-dress his wound.

Glorfindel saddled Asfaloth, once again shortening the stirrups so that Frodo could ride the horse.

He woke the Hobbits, and brought out some dried meat.

He didn't hear any complaints, but the Hobbits were obviously still exhausted from all the events of the last few weeks. Merry and Pippin attempted to joke about their circumstances, and although it was weak, Glorfindel admired their attempt. He noticed, however, Sam was looking a bit distant and worried. Glorfindel knew the Hobbit had every right to feel so, but Sam was normally trying his best to be optimistic.

Glorfindel would have asked him about it, but he wasn't sure that Sam trusted him yet, especially after the frying pan incident.

They headed off, their pace quickened by the easier journey on the Road. Before long, Glorfindel could most definitely feel the Black Riders. Their dark presence shadowed any joy that might have previously been felt at nearing Rivendell. They weren't close enough to the elven city anyway; Glorfindel harbored little doubt that the Black Riders would catch them.

Aragorn ordered a speedier pace, but the Riders were still gaining on them. He could occasionally hear the sound of speeding horses.

A short while later, Glorfindel could steadily hear the Black Riders gaining on them.

The Road suddenly veered into the shadows of pine trees, whose meeting limbs blocked out light. They followed the course, and suddenly they could all hear numerous footsteps, following them. Fear gripped at Glorfindel's heart, but he shrugged it off as best he could. He only hoped the Hobbits would not be paralyzed by the same fear.

The Road burst back out into the open, sunlight once more shining on their faces. They saw the Ford of Rivendell, and a steep winding path beyond that.

But danger was not past.

Glorfindel listened to the echoing footsteps, his eyes widening. "Fly!" He called, "The enemy is upon us!"

Asfaloth trotted quickly, the Hobbits following out of instinct. Aragorn and Glorfindel kept at the rear, hoping to protect the Hobbits from the danger as much as possible.

Suddenly, several black horses with their dark riders came galloping out of the trees behind them.

"Ride, Frodo, ride!" Glorfindel shouted. Seeing Frodo's reluctance, he once more called out: "Ride on! Ride on!" But Frodo still did not gallop on towards Rivendell. _"Noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth!"_

The Black Riders followed Frodo, for the most part ignoring the others. Glorfindel knew what would happen if the Riders tried to cross the river. They ran to a hollow hidden by stunted trees, and quickly, he tried to explain while starting a fire.

"The River will sweep away those who are in its path, but we must deal with the rest." Handing the four other members of the company torches, they waited.

Glorfindel almost thought he saw something glittering on the horizon, something clear and bright. But no, it couldn't have been. But hope kindled once more in his heart. Suddenly, he felt a small hand on his elbow.

Sam's eyes were lit by torchlight. Quietly, he asked the elf. "Sir, do you think Frodo will be alright?"

Glorfindel felt hope he had not felt in a century. With a gleam in his eyes, he answered the Hobbit. "Honestly, Samwise Gamgee, I do not know. But I do believe there is hope." He let a triumphant grin light his face.

Hearing the rush of the river, he knew it was now or never.

"Now!" he shouted, and the ran out of the hollow, the others not far behind. The horses screeched in terror, caught between water and fire. They dove for the raging waters of the Ford, their dark masters screaming angrily.

As the last of the Riders disappeared, there was relative quiet. As the waters receded, Glorfindel urged the others on ahead, across the River. Frodo was still in danger. But Glorfindel knew that the Hobbit would survive, somehow.

And he knew that whatever might come, there was a dawn on the horizon.

* * *

**THE END

* * *

**

Key: _"Elvish dialogue"_

"Western dialogue"

**A/N: As for this chapter, I'm very proud of it. I realized I had a _lot_ more to write than I had previously thought, so it was quite a challenge for me, because I personally like to write annoyingly short chapters. -wink- **

**I'm really amazed to see it finished. What an adventure it's has been. It was lots of fun, and I want to thank all of you for sticking with me through it! It was my first continuing story, and it was a lot of experimentation. First off, I wanted to see how fast I could update. That turned out to be about every two months, and I don't write very long chapters. Honestly, that's not a very good record, so I decided I'm going to try finishing a story before I post it. So, I probably won't post a story for another few months. But, I do have a few ideas for some of my next stories. Mostly in the angst genre… -laugh- **

**Replies to reviews:**

**gives reviewers birthday cake, ice-cream cones and brownies, and chocolate pudding (it's virtual - carb free!)**

**Nolitari: I luffles Glorfy. hugs And yes, you blood-thirsty wheat-pirate, I have some action. : P**

**Ellfine: Oh, yes, Precious likes to irritate Glorfindel. We added all those little diversions to keep him away from the Hobbitses, yes, sneaky little Preciousss….**

**Starlit jewel: I tried to explain all that in this chapter. I hope it makes more sense now! **

**Seeing-spots: Did I now? Well, I gave quite a feast today. Mmmm… **

**I tried to work on clarifying… Thanks for the constructive criticism! It really helps! **

**I hope the way I wrapped things up is satisfying. I rather imagined it different, but I think it should make the nasty reviewers happy… -laughs- -loud cough- Heh…Did I just say that out loud? **

**See you around next time! -waves- **


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